Metallic tile for floors



(Model.)

A. H. LORD.

4METALLIC TILE PUR FLOORS, 65e.

No. 285,636. Patented Sept. 25, 1883.

N. PETERS. Phexvmnugnpur. vla-ningen. n. c.

UNTTEDy STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREV H. LORD, OF CHICAGO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES A. HITCHCOCK, OF AUSTIN, ILLINOIS.

METALLIC TILE FOR FLOORS, sw.

SPECIFICATION`forming part of` Letters Patent No. 255,626, dated September A25, 1883.

Application filed May 7, 1883. (ModelJ To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, ANDREW H. LORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of .Illi- 5 nois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Tiles for Floors, 85e., which are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- IO Figure l represents a plan view of a metal blank before bending the edges to form the tile; Fig. 2, a similar view of the tile formed after bending an edge of the blank; and Fig. 3, a section of the same on an enlarged scale,

. I 5 taken on the line a; x, Fig. 2.

The object of my invention is to provide a metal tiling as a substitute for the stone encaustic tiling now generally used'in buildings. This stone tiling is very heavy, as the tiles 2; must be quite thick, and a sufficient amount of cement is necessary to give them a substantial bed. The aggregate weight of such stone tiling is sogreat that it cannot be used` in many places about a building where desirable without great eXpensein providing necessary eXtra support for the tiling. This is especially the case with stairways and some other` parts of buildings.

My invention consists in a light metal tile, 3o preferably made from sheet metal, w-hich is constructed with bent edges, whereby it is lirmly fastened in place by the cement.

IA will proceed to describe the construction and mode of `applying my improved tiles,

3 5 and will then point out definitely in the claims4 the special improvements which I believeto be new and desire to 4protect by'Letters/Patent.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a blank 4o cut from sheet metal, brass, zinc, iron, or any other suitable material. This blank is composed of a central-portion, A, which is of the size required for the tile whenV finished, in

this instance being rectangular in form. The

corners of this blank are cut so as to leave narrow strips on each side, projecting somewhat beyond the body. Two of these strips,

a, on opposite sides of the blank, are provided with slots c', preferably longitudinal. The

strips a2 on the other sides of the blank are somewhat narrower than the former, and are not necessarily provided with slots. If desired, however, these strips may also be as wide asthose first mentioned, and slotted in the same way. After the blank is prepared as described and shown, the strips c and a?, at the edges, are turned down at substantially right angles, leaving the central portion of the body in the form of the tile ,with iianges made by the turnedover edge strips on all sides. The appearance of the face of the tile when thus formed is shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and the appearance of the iiange in Fig. 3. The body of the tile may be ornamented in any suitable manner, such ornamentation being given to it by coniiguration in the dies when formed, or by any desired decoration afterward; or both plans may be employed for the purpose of giving the tile a tasteful appearance.

In using these tiles, cement is applied in the Ordinary way, and the tiles set therein side by side, great care being taken that the slotted flanges` are arranged adjacent to each other. The cement ills the space within the anges and passes through the slots, so that when set a iirm body is provided for the support of the faces of the tiles, and the tiles are held in place and together by the cement passing through the slots from one to the other. For this purposethe cement bed need not be so thick as is required for stone and encaustic tiling, and it is'obvious that the metal tile is very much lighter than the ordinary stone and encaustic tiles. This sheet metal tile is very much cheaper, and easily made, readily applied, and accomplishes all the results obtained by the use of stone or eneaustic tiling. It is equally durable, is fire-proof, and may be ornamented in a variety of ways. weight adapts my improved tiling for use in locations where stone tiling has been found objectionable, for reasons stated above. The weight of the metal tiling of this description is only about one-tenth of the ordinary stone tiling. As I have stated, sheet`metal is preferred for the construction of these tiles,which are struck up to give them the proper form 5 The great reduction of 9o but, if desired, they may in some instances be formed by casting. The castings are, however, very light, sufficient. strength being obtained with even a very thin tile, so that even with cast metal the tiling is much lighter than stone tiling. I do not therefore limit myself to sheet-metal tiling, though this I prefer; and I do not limit myself to any particular form of the tile, nor to the special mode of fastening them together when set, for some other way for accomplishing this latter result may be employed, though the one described above is simple and cheap, while at the same time it is efficient. It is also possible that in some in` stances the tile may be used with only two flanges arranged on opposite sides, though I do not think this a desirable form. The tiles may also, if desired, be connected directly together by some suitable means. -f

Having thus described my invention, what I claim aswnew, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, ism

l. A metallic tile provided with iianges arranged on two or more opposite sides of the body of the tile, and substantially at right angles thereto, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. Asheet-n1etal tile provided with flanges on two or more sides of the body of the tile, and substantially at right angles thereto, substantially 'as and for the purposes set forth.

3. A metallic tile consisting of a body, A,

and two orv more flanges, a, arranged at substantially right angles to the body, and provided with slots a, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. A metallic tile consisting of a body, A, the flanges a, provided with slots a on two opposite sides thereof, and narrow iianges a2 on the two other sides of the body, and all arranged at substantially right angles to the body, as and for the purposes set forth.

ANDREV H.A LORD.

Vitnesses:

J. M. THACHER, A. M. BEs'r. 

